Gate-hinge



M/DEPEW..

GATE HINGE.

No. 577,012. ,Patented Peb. 16, 1897.

, 2O V, f

7 mmgymm! 7 s E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK DErEw, oE EDMONTON, KENTUCKY.

GATE-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,012, dated February 16, 189'?. Application filed September 24, 1895. Serial No. 563,505. (No model.)

To ,ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARK DEPEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ed monton, in the county of Metcalfe and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Gravity Gate-Hinge, of which the following is a specification.

This in vention has for its object to improve that class of gravity-closin g hinges which admit of the gate, door, or other hinged part opening in either direction and closing automatically when released, and aims to provide a hinge of this character which will operate satisfactorily, and which will be simple, easily constructed, and adapted to be placed upon themarket at about the same costas the ordinary hinge, and which will be so constructed as to prevent the lodgment between the operating parts of ice, dirt, or any foreign matter which would have a tendency to impede the free movement of the hinge.

The improvement consists, primarily, of a hinge of the class'aforesaid whose post member comprises two sections, one fastened to the post and forming a base for the reception of the other section, which latter is formed with reverse inclines and is supported thereon, and which is adapted to be held in the required position or allowed to turn upon the said base, so that the gate or hinged part can be left open when required. The gate member has corresponding inclines to those of the movable part of the post-section, and antifriction-bearings are provided between the two sets of inclines, the same consisting of balls which are tted and operate in grooves formed in the lower incline. Y

The improvement also consists of. a sleeve or guard pendent from the gate-section and overlapping the joint between theparts comprising the hinge, whereby ice, dirt, and foreign matter are excluded from between the component parts of the hinge.

. The improvement also further consists of the novel features Which hereinafter will be more fully set forth and claimed and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate, showing the application of the invention, part of the guard being broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on t-he line X X of Fig. 1 on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the post member of the hinge. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the upper section of the post member. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the lower section of the post member. Fig. G is a detail perspective view of the gate member. Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings. i

it will be understood that the gate or other part to be hinged will have one of its hinges, preferably the upper one, constructed so as to admit of the vertical movement of the gate or hinged part when the latter is opened, and such hinge will be of any approved construction, and, as shown, consists of an eyebolt 1, secured to the end batten of the gate, and a vertically-extending pintle 2, the latterbeing attached to the post 3 in any approved manner. p

The improved hinge consists of the gate member 4 and the post member 5, the latter comprising an upper movable section 6 and a lower base-section 7, which is secured to the post 3 in any convenient manner, preferably by means of a threaded shank 8, which is screwed into an opening provided in the said post 3. The base-section 7 is centrally apertured, as shown at 9, for the reception of the pintle 10, pendent from the gate member 4, and a circular depression 11 is formed'in its upper side to receive an annular shoulder 12, provided on the lower face of the upper or movable section 6 and-by means of which the said section 6 is maintained in properrelation upon the base-section 7. The upper section 6 is centrally apertured for the passage of the pintle 10 and is provided with oppositely dis posed inclines 14, which cooperate with similarly-forrned inclines 15 on the gate member 4, so as to cause a rising movement of the gate when the latter is opened in either direction, thereby resulting in the automatic closing of the gate by the force ofv gravity when the gate is released after being opened, as will be readilyl comprehended. The oppositely or reversely disposed inclines 14 are of proper pitch to eifect the automatic closing of the gate, as is common in hinges of the character to which the present invention belongs, and in order to relieve the friction incident to the movement of the gate member upon the post member antifriction bearings or balls 16 are interposed between the oppositelydisposed inclines and are itted in grooves 17, formed in the lower inclines 14 and extending from a point midway of their length to within a short distance of the crest or angle formed between them, and these bearings project a su llicient dist-ance beyond the inclines 14 to make provision for considerable wear before the inclines 14C and 15 can come together.

The grooves 1'? make provision for receiving a number of ball-bearings 1G, which latter are adapted to move in the grooves when relatively operating or turning the hinge-sections. By this construction the friction is reduced to a minimum and the hinge, when heavily loaded, can be operated easily without being frequently lubricated, as is necessary with hinges as generally constructed in order to secure an easy action.

The upper section (5 is movable upon the base-section 7, thereby admitting of a proper adjustment of the two sections so as to properly position the lower inclines 1l with respect to the inclines 15 of the post member, thereby obviating the necessity for that precision of securing the parts to the respective supports required in the application of hinges as generally constructed. A binding-screw 1S is provided to secure the two sections 6 and 7 in the located position when it is required to utilize the hinge for closing the gate automatically; but when it is desired to have the gate open said binding-screw is loosened, so that the two parts 4 and G may move together as a unit upon the base-section 7, thereby securing the desired result, as will be readily understood.

rllhe gate member 4 is made fast to the inner hatten 19 of the gate 2O in any convenient manner, and for this purpose it is shown provided with a shank 21, which passes through an opening in the batten'19, and has its projecting end threaded to receive a clampnut 22. A flange 23 depends from the lower face of the member and embraces the sides of the section 6 and overlapsthe joint or space existing between the adjacent inclines 14 and 15, and acts in the capacity of a guard to exclude ice, dirt, and foreign matter from the joint or space provided between the opposing inclines 14 and 15. This Hange or guard is of sufficient dept-h to inclose the space between the inclines 111 and 15 at all adjustments of the parts 1 and G.

By providing the post member and constructing the same of two sections which are relatively movable the hinge is susceptible of use either as a self-closing hinge or can be used in the manner of an ordinary hinge, so that when it is required the gate can be left open without requiring props or other securing means to fasten the same back. This feastruction herein shown and described is pre-v ferred it is contemplated in the embodiment of the invention that various changes in the form, proportionand minor details of con-VVV struction may be resorted to without depart ing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a gravity-closing hinge, a gate member, in combination with a post member comprising a base-section and a superposed relatively-movable section, and provisions 'for securing the two sections in anl adjusted post tion, substantially as set forth, for the purpose described.

2. In a gravity-closing hinge, a gate member, in combination with a post member comprising a base-section, having a circular depression in its upper side, a superposed movable section having a shouldered portion adapted to be seated in said circular depression to maintain the two sections in fixed relation, and means for securing the two sections in the required adjusted position substantially in the manner set forth, for the purpose described.

3. A gravity-closin g hinge comprising a gate member having a pendent pintle, and a post member comprising a base-section and a superposed section, the two sections having corresponding centrally-disposed openings for the passage of the pintle of the gate member, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

i. The herein described' gravityclosing hinge, comprising a gate member having a pendent pintle and flange forming a guard, the post member comprising base and superposed sections, the one having an annular shoulder to enter a corresponding depression in the other, and both sections having a centrally-disposed openin g for the passage of the said pintle, antifriction bearings fitted in grooves formed in the inclines between the two members, and means for securing the two sections of the post member in the adjusted position, substantially as set forth, for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARK DEPEV.

Witnesses:

M. F. SPARKS, A. J. MITCHELL.

IOO

IlO 

